Fleurotica at Garfield Park Conservatory

A fundraising record was set for Garfield Park Conservatory Alliance, while imaginations were sparked and conservation awareness was spread. It all happened at the annual Fleurotica runway event on October 12. Eighteen local floral designers created garments entirely from plants, flowers, and natural materials; the winning designers were Kate Prince and Sarah Leitten from Flora Chicago. More than $200,000 was raised for the Alliance, which aims to change lives through nature. The event was cochaired by Chicago’s First Lady Amy Rule and Erika Summers and featured Sol Flores as emcee.